Take Care of Him Too
by modestlykeithhelm
Summary: Tamaki's courage is tested and he is almost pushed to the breaking point when someone he deeply cares for is critically injured. Who will show up just in time to save him from himself? No smut just feels and some romance. (Fun fact: I did not write Ouran Host Club. I did not create the series. *the more you know*)
1. Chapter 1

He clenched his fist and pressed his forehead against the wall. He squeezed his eyes tighter and tighter until it became uncomfortable. Bitter tears he refused to let out welled up under his scrunched lids and pooled in the nooks of his temporary crow's feet.

"It's not fair." He exhaled. The sun should not have risen today. No one should be smiling. How could life go on when she might… _No_. If she was still fighting then he would fight. He turned around and leaned against the wall. He combed through his blonde locks with his fingers. He would stay strong for her today and tomorrow and every day after that. Even if the unthinkable happened he would carry his strength and her soul inside of him till the end of time.

The door to room #258 opened and another nurse entered. In that brief moment Tamaki Suou was able to make eye contact with Ranka. The drag queen sported completely androgynous attire today. He also had more than a little stubble. He looked awful. His face stared straight ahead at nothing. The only makeup he wore were puffy eyes red from crying and sleep deprivation. Tamaki could hardly blame him.

Since Haruhi had been admitted, Tamaki had only been in the room once. It was right after the surgery they performed to reduce the swelling in her brain. He hadn't said a word. He simply kissed her on the cheek lingering because he knew it might very well be a goodbye kiss. His eyes were closed. He didn't want to picture her that way ever again. He had happier images stored in his mind. His senses drank in everything else. He wanted to remember how she smelled, how her skin felt under his lips, that slight tingle when his forehead brushed her eyebrows. After that he excused himself and did not go back in. He was a friend but that was all. Even in the short visit Ranka allowed the host club he had been overwhelmed by the feeling he was intruding on an intimate moment. The two men had nodded wordlessly. There was nothing to be said.

After the others returned to their respective homes, they stood guard over their wounded angel; one inside and one haunting the halls. Footsteps squeaked and clacked on the tile floors. Phones rang and pagers buzzed. It was all one million miles away from him. Tamaki padded back into the small alcove and sunk into the chair he had claimed. The cheap vinyl material sunk low so even when he stood, a ghost Tamaki held his place. He had cast an apathetic glance towards the magazines. He had long since given up the façade of reading them. That was for a time when they thought she would wake in a matter of hours. Now it was turning into days. Besides if he saw any giggling supermodels or makeup adverts he might vomit.

"Um excuse me…sir?" Tamaki suddenly registered that the nurse had been trying to get his attention for some time now. Wow he was a complete space cadet lately. It was the same nurse who had gone into Haruhi's room. "You wouldn't happen to be a visitor of Miss Fujioka would you?" Tamaki sprung to his feet.

"What-is-it-what-happened-is-she-awake-is-she-alive-please-tell-me!" Without meaning to Tamaki had started yelling at this woman. She didn't seem shocked. This was the ICU. It probably happened more often than not.

"Relax." She spoke soothingly with a maternal tone. "She is stable. No changes."

"Oh." Tamaki took a breath. He was relieved beyond words that nothing had changed for the worse but he was a little annoyed that she would get his hopes up only to tell him nothing changed. She continued.

"It's her father. He's in horrible shape. He hasn't had anything to eat or drink since he arrived. He won't leave her side. We've offered him food multiple times and each time he's refused. I couldn't help but notice that you've been here quite a while. You must be closely tied to her family. Maybe you could go get him something from the food court. He won't eat for us but maybe he will for you?"

Tamaki kicked himself internally. How could he have been so stupid? So dense? So clueless? He had been so worried about Haruhi that he forgotten all about Ranka. He is her family; her only surviving parent. He should have been doing everything he could to make him comfortable. It was the least he could do after…

"I'll go right now!" He retorted with determination and started marching toward the elevator. The nurse watched him go.

_He must really love her_. She thought to herself. _That's the worst part of all of this. It's going to be so hard on him_.

Tamaki scurried around the open cafeteria like a chicken with its head cut off. _What would Ranka like_? There were sandwiches, salads, prepackaged sushi, milk, ketchup packets. Tamaki quickly loaded up a tray with a little bit of everything. He balanced it carefully and tottered over to the cashier. This woman was older than the nurse and far less empathetic. There was a long awkward pause. Tamaki felt like he was forgetting something.

"Sir…you know you need to pay, right?"

"Right. Right. Of course. Money. Currency to be exchanged for goods and services. I know I know." He babbled like a mad man while fishing in his pocket. He pulled out a bunch of coins and handed them to her.

"Is this some kind of joke?" She snapped.

_What? _ Tamaki's pupils swam in confusion. _Is that too much? Not enough? What? _The woman scowled and pushed up her glasses.

"This is not legal tinder." She shoved the sum back into Tamaki's hands. He saw then that they were all arcade tokens. Something in his mouth tasted foul like orange rinds, his sinuses began to slip beyond his control and his temples throbbed. He was about to start bawling in front of everyone. _No. Not here. Not now. I was supposed to be strong. I was supposed to be strong for her_.

He felt an arm wrap around his shoulders from behind and heard a familiar voice.

"Thank you very much but I don't believe we'll be requiring your services today after all."

The woman's face erupted into flames. She was even more livid than before.

"**What are you talking about? Just who's going to put all of this back? If your slack-jawed friend can't handle his own affairs then maybe he shouldn't be allowed to walk around by himself**."

That familiar voice didn't skip a beat. "I'm sure you'll be more than happy to take care of this for him." He reached into his wallet and produced an ID for the employee. She stopped cold.

"Oh my goodness! I am so sorry. I will see to it right away. I apologize for my disrespect. I had no idea I was speaking to a member of the Ootori family. Tamaki blinked. His urge to weep had dissipated. He turned and found himself staring into those deep brown eyes behind spotless lenses. _Kyoya _

The woman was still apologizing as the two men walked away. Neither of them paid her any mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Tamaki sat down on the bed defeated. He was in Kyoya's room. Kyoya had called a catering service and some supper delivered to the hospital. Tamaki insisted on bringing it into the room himself. They left Ranka with the business card and told him to order whatever he wanted at any time and put it on the Host Club's tab. The now hollow man had nodded although he would not be taking them up on their offer. Had their gesture touched him? Probably not. He wasn't there right now. It was recorded on a little answering machine in his heart. He would listen to the message when his soul came home. If it ever did.

Kyoya moved about the room efficiently. He pulled some pajamas out of a drawer and picked up the phone. It was direct line to the maid station.

"Yes, I would like to have some fresh towels sent to my room. Also have someone move in another bed. I have a guest tonight." He hung up.

"I shouldn't have left her." Tamaki said somberly. His head hung from his neck like it would fall off any moment. He did have the weight of the world crammed in there after all.

"Don't be silly. You're not a doctor. There's nothing you can do for her there. Besides, you're forgetting that my family owns the hospital. I've put everyone tending to her under strict orders to call me with any updates. If something happens we'll be one of the first to know.

Tamaki nodded. It certainly helped but he still felt like he failed his duty somehow. He was always annoying Haruhi in little ways. Even with his remarkable self-esteem which bordered on narcissism he occasionally questioned whether or not he could do anything right when she was around. Now he had let her down when she needed him most.

"Stop making that face. She's being taken care of, being given the best care possible if I have anything to say about it."

"I was supposed to take care of her. I'm her daddy." Tamaki grasped his hair in fistfuls and pulled. Kyoya crossed the room and gently unfurled his hands.

"And I'm the mommy. It is the mommy's job to take care of the daddy." Tamaki looked up at him in wonder. "Now go take a shower. You smell terrible." As he headed into the bathroom he saw Kyoya reaching for the phone again.

"Who are you calling now?"

"The hospital. I'm having that woman fired."

"Don't do that. Please. I'm not mad. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

Kyoya smiled. "Very well then." He returned the handset to the receiver. _Typical_.

Tamaki let the water pour over him. It was too hot and burned him. He didn't care. He was numb. He kept replaying the day in his head. He had insisted that she take him to a commoner's video arcade. She grumbled about it initially but once there they had had so much fun. He could still hear her laugh. They were headed home and…

Tamaki reached for his face. He had allowed some shampoo to drip into his eye while he was thinking. It burned like hell. He cupped his hands and splashed water on it. It helped but only marginally. He decided to skip conditioner. He didn't think he could stand anymore.

He stepped out of the shower and saw towels folded up nicely on the counter next to a pair of pajamas, some floss, a toothbrush and mouthwash. Tamaki dried himself off and cleaned up for bed. As much as he thought he didn't deserve it, he felt better.

When he stepped back into the bedroom Kyoya was sitting in bed and reading. The room was illuminated by a small lamp on his bedside table and that was all. At some point during his shower the Ootori household staff had set up a second bed next to Kyoya's. Kyoya looked up at him.

"What did you do to yourself?" Tamaki paused then remembered his pink irritated eye.

"It's nothing."

"Wait here." Kyoya stood. He was wearing a pair of silk boxers and no shirt. He went into the restroom and rummaged in the medicine cabinet. When he came back he led Tamaki over the bed. "Sit." He had a bottle of eye drops in his hand. He tenderly tilted his friend's head back. Holding his eyelids open with one hand, he dispensed the medicine with the other. The effect was instantaneous. Tamaki blinked a few times as the drops rolled down his cheek. They were soon joined by his own real tears.

"It's all my fault." Kyoya knelt before him.

"Why do you say that?"

"When…when we left I off-offered her a ride home with me. She said she was going to walk. She…she…said that it her house was cl-close by." His confession was chopped up by bouts of sobbing. Kyoya just listened. "**I should have insisted! I should have walked with her! Then that car would have hit me instead! It should have been me!**" His scream left a large silence in its wake.

"Tamaki." Kyoya placed a hand on his knee. He wanted to choose his words carefully. "You're an idiot and you're a pain in my ass sometimes but you have more kindness in you than any person I've ever met and ever will meet. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault. I swear." Tamaki cried more forcefully than before. "Now, you should get some sleep." Tamaki sniffled

"Can…can…I stay with you?"

"What do you think the other bed is for?"

"N-no. I want to stay w-w-with you."

Kyoya was startled but not that much.

"Sure." He climbed into bed and removed his glasses. He set them on top of his book. He hadn't marked his place. _Oh well_. The lamp clicked off. Kyoya lay on his back and adjusted his pillow a little bit. He heard Tamaki climb in beside him. He squirmed over to Kyoya's side. He rested his warm head on his chest. He was feverish from exhaustion. Kyoya wrapped his arms around him and held him close, wishing he could protect him from everything that hurt.

"Good night, my sweet prince."

Tamaki opened his eyes slowly. He had never been hung over in his life but he'd swear he had all the symptoms. When he rolled over Kyoya's side of the bed was empty. The tall teen was fully dressed and seated in a comfortable arm chair in the corner. The room was overwhelmingly bright. What time was it anyway? Tamaki propped himself up on a couple of pillows and cleared his throat. Kyoya set aside his newspaper and smiled warmly at him.

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

Tamaki rubbed his head.

"Hello…uuugh...how long was I out?"

Kyoya glanced down at his watch.

"It's approximately 2:30pm. You were in pretty bad shape last night so I thought it best to let you get your sleep. I have some good news I think you'll be eager to hear."

Tamaki drew in a deep breath.

"She's awake."

Everything about Tamaki's mood shifted. He leapt out of bed and frantically ran about dressing himself in the outfit Kyoya had laid out for him. Kyoya watched him slyly from the doorway. He couldn't be more glad about Miss Fujioka's progress but he wondered what would become of that night they spent together. Would it be forgotten? Was he nothing more than a tool of comfort that Tamaki turned to when his world was falling apart? Tamaki buttoned the last button his shirt and started for the door. He stopped and stood in front of Kyoya. Without any warning he kissed him. It was a different kiss than the one he gave Haruhi. It was longer, deeper and full of promise. He pulled away having left Kyoya breathless.

"Let's go. Our little girl needs us."


	3. Chapter 3

The Rolls Royce cruised stylishly through the streets. Kyoya leaned back into the leather seat and inhaled. The new car smell reminded him of the day his father had the vehicle imported from England. The posh driver came with it naturally. Wheatley handled the traffic like a pro. It was only expected of a retired race car driver turned chauffeur. The middle aged man was not particularly fond of his new position but had been all too eager to have the Ootori family settle his massive gambling debt before he had to say goodbye to his kneecaps. Tamaki stared out the window. He was shockingly quiet. His heart was beating a mile a minute. If he didn't calm down, he would need to be hospitalized himself. A single seat separated the pair but it might as well as been the same ocean this car once traversed on a slow moving cargo ship.

Kyoya tried not to stare at the blonde. Wheatley had the ear of the patriarch and Kyoya was not eager to deal with that can of worms when the rest of the world became party to their little secret. However, there might not be much to tell after all. That kiss had been explosive but the aftermath left something to be desired.

Tamaki had taken off down the hallway. _Thanks for waiting_ Kyoya mused crassly. He hadn't expected to stroll out arm in arm but they could have walked together at the very least. He was additionally insulted when he found Tamaki asking to have a town car called. Did he think they were going to be arriving separately? When questioned about it, his classmate seemed confused. He didn't deny the ride from Kyoya but he wasn't overly eager to accept it either. _Don't make me twist your arm_, Kyoya thought. His internal sarcasm levels were nearly surpassing 9,000.

One of Tamaki's hands supported his chin and the other hung at his side. Kyoya wanted to reach out and twine their fingers together. Two things prevented him from doing so: a nosy driver and a growing doubt that the sentiment would be reciprocated. At least in the way he wanted. Kyoya was a loner by nature. He knew how to mingle and he knew how to network. Ultimately he had never really needed anyone else to breach his innermost circle. He would marry one day because that was expected of him. Falling in love was a trivial matter. At least that's what he thought. Tamaki Suoh had not just burst that bubble. He blew it up with fifteen tons of French made explosives. He was the only one who could make Kyoya feel truly content and truly lonely. Neither of these feelings was familiar to the ambitious male and they occasionally put homicidal thoughts into his head.

The car pulled into the large round-about at the entrance. Tamaki wrenched the door open before they had even fully stopped. He clambered out as gracefully as a swan with two broken wings. Wheatley glanced up into the rear view mirror and made eye contact with his young master.

"Will you be returning home, sir?"

Kyoya thought of saying "hell yes." He pictured them speeding off and leaving Tamaki standing in a cartoonishly large cloud of exhaust. Before he had a chance to convert these thoughts into slightly less explicit terms, Tamaki turned on his heel and yelled back to him.

"Are you coming?"

_Oh so now you care?_ Kyoya knew he was being more than a little selfish and part of him truly felt bad for it. He was not the one who had nearly died. He was not the one who had a long recovery ahead of him. He understood that sometimes you're the patient and others you're the band-aide. That didn't mean he wanted to be discarded in the trash like one.

Tamaki's eyes flickered back and forth between Kyoya and the entrance. His expression was swarming with nervous energy. It must have taken every single spec of self-restraint he did not possess to keep from sprinting inside. He was still here though. He wasn't leaving. Kyoya's anger softened against his will. He remembered the current circumstances.

"I'm staying here for now. Go home and I'll send for you when I am ready to return."

Wheatley nodded.

"Very well."

Kyoya stepped onto the pavement and put his hands in his pockets. He shoved the door closed with his hip before the driver could even get his seat belt off. He wandered in after Tamaki at a slower pace than Tamaki may have liked. They were going but they weren't going to make fools of themselves by tearing through the halls like a banshee. Haruhi had been moved from the intensive care unit to the fifth floor where she was resting comfortably. Kyoya had confirmed this so there was no need to rush. He had also called the other club members. The twins couldn't be reached. Kyoya left a message. Honey informed him that both he and Mori would be there.

After an awkward elevator ride with a mumbling psych patient they arrived at her new room. Kyoya had been worried about Tamaki disrupting the young woman. It appeared as if someone had beaten him to it. Even from outside the closed door they could hear a loving voice carrying on.

"How about the blinds? Are they open too wide? I wouldn't want the light hurting your delicate eyes but this room is just so dingy. We could spruce it up with some more flowers. I could be to that tacky gift shop and back in less than five minutes. Are you cold? Who am I kidding? You must be. Fear not. Your papa will get one of those nurses in here with as many blankets as you want."

Now that they were here Tamaki's enthusiasm seemed to have evaporated. Maybe he was nervous about seeing Ranka? He was unsure of himself. Kyoya's annoyance subsided and he gave Tamaki's elbow a reassuring squeezing before knocking twice.

"Come iiiiiin" someone literally sang from within.

The door slowly swung open. A pale Haruhi was propped up on what must have been every pillow in the hospital. Various tubes and chords ran from her body into the machinery surrounding her. She seemed so fragile. She was like a marionette and the medical equipment was the only thing holding her together. Nothing could extinguish the life in her eyes though. She gave them a weak smile and a small wave. Her late mother beamed from a picture frame beside her.

Tamaki shuffled in and waved back. He seemed uncomfortable. He was probably shrinking before the shrine of bouquets and stuffed animals Ranka had erected on the window seat. Kyoya had a feeling this visit could rapidly become very expensive if Tamaki went overboard trying to match the cross-dresser's gesture. The Ootori family was already waiving the medical fees as it was. Since Tamaki didn't seem to be saying anything, Kyoya stepped in for him.

"It is quite a relief to see you awake, Haruhi. Tamaki and I got here as quickly as we could."

"Hi guys." Haruhi's voice cracked from disuse. "I'm sorry I gave you all such a scare."

"Don't be silly." Honey's voice rang out from the corner. "It's our job to worry about you when you're broken."

He was seated comfortably in Mori's lap in a large rocking chair. Usa-chan was tucked into bed beside Haruhi to make her feel better. One of his floppy ears was wrapped in gauze as a sign of solidarity. Honey jumped up and ran over to the newcomers. His arms stretched out in front of him for one of his classic hugs. Surprisingly enough Tamaki was not the one he embraced first.

He squeezed Kyoya tightly. Kyoya let out a small inaudible gasp and returned an uncharacteristically long hug. Mori's nose twitched but it might have just been itchy. The silent boy was so hard to read.

Tamaki stared at the floor. He was getting more upset by the second. "If anyone should be sorry…" His voice trailed off into a loaded silence. Haruhi stared at him intently before addressing the room.

"Guys, I'm so glad you're here. But would you mind giving Tamaki-senpai and I a moment alone."

Ranka was swishing about the room in a long skirt and apron. His hair was piled up into an elaborate bun on the top of his head. Normally he'd rather die than leave his precious princess alone with a man. Today he seemed more perceptive than normal. There was a lot for the two of them to discuss. He swept Mori up from the chair with no minor amount of difficulty.

"Whatever you want, dear. Just know that your papa will be right outside the door if you need him."

Honey took Kyoya's hand and tugged on it.

"Takashi and I brought a bunch of cake for Haru-chan. We didn't know she can't eat that yet so I had the doctors put it away in their fridge for me. I didn't want to make Haru-chan sad with delicious, yummy cake she can't eat. Maybe we can go share it?"

Kyoya nodded at the shorter boy. "That would be nice."


	4. Chapter 4

_This is not where I would ideally spend my free time. However it could be worse._ Kyoya swiveled his large chair slightly and drummed his fingers on the hard wood surface. They were in a grand board room on the tenth floor. A large table took up the majority of the space. It was shaped like a horseshoe to encourage eye contact during business meetings. The walls were adorned with portraits of former Ootori patriarchs. Ranka strolled from one frame to the next. He tapped his finger on his chin.

"My, my, my; such stern men." He glanced back at Kyoya "It must run in the family."

"Quite." Kyoya took his glasses off and cleaned them on a small handkerchief he kept in his pocket. Honey took a large bite of the fuchsia cake in front of him. Mori sat solemnly on his other side. He picked up a napkin and carefully dabbed at some crumbs on his cousin's cheek.

"Thank you, Takashi! Kyoya-Chan, are you sure you don't want some cake? It's really good."

"I'll pass but thank you all the same."

Honey nodded and shoveled another enormous chunk into his mouth. Mori took a sip of his tea and glanced at the door. A few moments passed in silence. Ranka took a seat at the table and examined his makeup in a compact. Kyoya glanced in his direction.

"You're looking quite well today."

Ranka's blush almost matched his hair as he fluttered his polished fingers about his face.

"How sweet of you to notice. It's nothing fancy just some old thing I threw on." He paused and became more serious. "This morning after Haruhi woke up she told me she was worried about me. I hadn't left that room in nearly three days. She suggested I go home for a bit and freshen up." Ranka's eyes grew distant and his brow creased. "Even when she's so badly hurt she still worries about the welfare of others. I only hope she is willing to give herself the time she needs to recover. She hates having to be dependent."

Mori closed his eyes and made a small grunt. Honey pushed aside the empty platter and reached for the next cake. Kyoya replaced his glasses and twisted the cap off of his bottle of water.

"She is certainly self-reliant."

"She'll be ok now. Her friends are here." Honey chirped.

Ranka smiled at Honey warmly.

"I am so glad you are. I've been meaning to thank you. I cannot tell you how much your presence means to both of us," Ranka smirked "even your foolish president."

Honey scooped an icing flower onto his fork and studied it with some amusement.

"Tama-Chan was really, really scared."

Kyoya made a concentrated effort to not choke on his mineral water as he took a long sip. He wasn't mad at anyone but he didn't especially want to think about that towhead right now. Their situation was a bit awkward and uncertain to say the least. He certainly didn't expect their wordless companion to emit the blunt question point-blank.

"Does he love her?"

Kyoya froze. His pupils surely must have dilated by 200%. Ranka cupped his face in his hands speculatively. He seemed primarily surprised that Mori could speak. Honey continued to chew with a happy-go-lucky aura illuminated around him. He responded with his mouth still full.

"I think it's 'yes' and 'no', maybe."

Before he could reconsider, Kyoya found himself pulling up to the table. _Am I actually engaging in this conversation?_

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

Honey contemplated. Mori glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Several moments passed this way. Honey giggled and gave an exaggerated shrug.

"I don't know."

Kyoya groaned internally. _So there was no reason for you to open your mouth just then… I am so glad I allowed my mind to be enriched by his wisdom_. He reconsidered his earlier idea of leaving when the older boy spoke again.

"I guess I there are lots of ways to love someone. Tama-Chan loves her just like we all love her."

Ranka seemed to have a fist clenched in his lap but kept his irritation to a low simmer.

"While I sincerely doubt that obtuse dolt of a person could care quite as much as her flesh-and-blood father, I appreciate what you have to say Mitsukuni." Ranka cleared his throat and chuckled a bit. "To be completely honest I don't really see him as being much of a threat. They obviously care about each other but…there's a certain something missing. "

Kyoya swirled his water bottle in hand and adjusted his glasses once more. _Very interesting, indeed. _ There was a lot for him to think about. However he couldn't get his mind clear when he was around the others. He needed some time alone to organize his thoughts. He was jarred by Honey tugging on his sleeve again.

"Maybe his string is tied to someone else?"

_What?_ Kyoya was beginning to wonder if Honey could actually read his mind or if he had in fact been transparent all along. The short boy stared into his eyes in earnest.

"You know the story. They say that you got a string tied to your pinky finger and your soul mate has the other end. Maybe Tama-Chan isn't in love with Haru-Chan because somebody else has the other end of his string already. It's kind of like what Aristotle said. 'Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.'"

Everyone started. Honey's adorability made it easy to forget how profound he could be when the mood moved him.

"In the meantime, we can have lots of parties with super snacks!"

_That sounds more like him_. Mori stood abruptly and strolled to the door.

"Are you going back to Haru-Chan's room, Takashi?"

"…yeah."

Ranka stood as well.

"That sounds like a splendid idea. I'm sure they had more than enough time. I do hate to be away from my precious angel for too long. She might need me."

Kyoya nodded. He wondered what Tamaki was up to. Did he even want to know where he was? Kyoya pushed his chair back in and realized Honey-Senpai had taken his hand again. He didn't mind today. It was nice to feel needed.

The group rode back down in the private elevator. When they emerged on the fifth floor they found Tamaki occupying a corner of the hallway. He had a dejected look about him. Kyoya waved the others off casually and approached his club leader.

"Pardon me, is this a private corner or is anyone welcome to brood here."

"They all laughed at me, Kyoya." He cast a melodramatic gaze off into the horizon.

"Right…I'm going to need a bit more to go on than that."

"He offered me his hand in friendship. It made sense that he'd want to express his appreciation. When I took it…it shocked me! Then they both cackled so evilly"

"Why do I have a feeling I already know who's behind this…"

Tamaki hissed from his nook.

"Those twins!"


	5. Chapter 5

[Approximate Translations]

1. "I hasten to laugh at everything, for fear of being obliged to weep."

2. "We are always betrayed by someone close to us."

3. Ramune is a carbonated soft drink originally sold in Japan which was introduced in Kobe by Alexander Cameron Sim. They are made of glass and sealed with a marble; the codd head is held in place by the pressure of the carbonation in the drink. To open the bottle, a device to push the marble inward is provided. The marble is pushed inside the neck of the bottle where it rattles around while drinking.

* * *

Kaoru was still crying tears of laughter when Kyoya entered with Tamaki in tow. Tamaki's arms were twined around his chest from behind and he silently glowered at the twins over Kyoya's shoulder. Hikaru was seated coyly on the edge of Haruhi's bed. A goofy grin stretched from ear to ear. He waved at the duo revealing a small buzzer in his palm. _So we have the culprit and the weapon_. Kyoya thought to himself. At least Tamaki's muttered ramblings were making sense now. Hikaru winked at the furiously cowering figure.

"Now, now is that any way to great your loyal subjects, boss?"

Kaoru chimed in from the floor where he was sprawled out.

"Yeah, **bolting** from the room like that."

"And we were so ec-**static** to see you."

Haruhi tittered from her bed with a hand over her mouth. The mischievous red heads fell into a fit of laughter at their own jokes. Tamaki began to surge forward and Kyoya restrained him. The last thing they needed was property damage tacked on to the bill.

"Cheesy puns aside; I must insist that next time you have an idea of this caliber you refrain from acting upon it until I am present. " Kyoya cast a devilish grin in Tamaki's direction. "I hate to miss out on the fun."

Tamaki leapt from his side dramatically and emitted a sound akin to a popped balloon.

"Such a deep betrayal has cut me to the very core." He gazed out the window, his visage shrouded in melancholy. "Je me presse de rire de tout, de peur d'être obligé d'en pleurer.[1]"

There was a pause followed by roars of merriment. Kaoru got up from the floor and wrapped an arm around his twin. They crowed in unison.

"Oh, boss, you are a riot."

Haruhi removed the hand from her face and clutched her abdomen.

"Hahaha…ouch. Ugh it hurts to laugh but it's nice to have things sort of back to normal. It was getting too serious in here. Hahaha"

The twins froze. Hikaru's voice cracked slightly.

"I'm sorry, Haruhi. We don't want to hurt you. We can get you some ice. Kaoru, where's the ice?"

"Don't look at me! I've never had to get ice for myself." Hikaru cast a slender finger of judgment at Tamaki.

"Stop being so hilariously crest-fallen." Tamaki scurried about in confusion.

"Yes, right away." He sat assumed a stilted position in the rocking chair. He painstakingly forced an unnatural smile and stared at Haruhi. "Isth thisth better?" He squeezed out through clenched teeth.

"Absolutely Tamaki; you look quite natural," Kyoya quipped "were we about to perform Kabuki theater."

Tamaki glared.

"I thought you said you would be on my side."

"On n'est jamais trahi que par les siens.[2]"

Haruhi's laughter rung out and she fell back against the pillows.

"Hahaha You guys a-are too much!"

Kaoru smiled at Haruhi.

"If the lady wishes to be entertained…"

Hikaru came around to her other side.

"…we are more than happy to oblige."

Each twin bowed deeply and kissed one of Haruhi's hands.

Tamaki yelped

"You filthy mongrels better keep your paws and every other part of you off my darling Haruhi! She's in a fragile state and doesn't need your…your…cooties!"

Kyoya sidled up next to Tamaki and rested a hand on the back of the rocker.

"Fascinating, I had not been informed that 'cooties' now qualify as a medical condition."

The door swung open once more. Mori and Honey scampered in. Honey was drinking a bubble-gum flavored Ramune [3] and Mori had a handful of paper scraps cupped in his hands.

"Hi guys! What did we miss?"

Tamaki's expression lightened and he looked up at Kyoya. He reached out and slyly twined their pinkies together.

"Oh, not much. We've just been having a lovely visit."

Kyoya felt like his heart might explode. Mori approached the bed and held his hands out to Haruhi.

"I got these for you."

Haruhi slowly accepted the small gift and stared down at it.

Honey beamed at Haruhi.

"They were giving those stickers out with the soda. Mori remembered how much you like free stuff so he got a bunch for you."

Haruhi blinked and looked up at Mori with delight.

"Thank you, senpai!"

"…You're welcome."

Kyoya snapped out of his trance. He felt something was missing.

"Did you happen to see where Ranka went?"

Honey turned around.

"Oh, he was with us and a doctor said he needed to talk to him. I thought he'd be back by now."

* * *

Ranka leaned heavily against the wall. He could hear the kids laughing and chattering. It warmed his heart to hear her sound so happy. That was why he couldn't go in. He wasn't ready to ruin that for her. She was being so brave. Time and time again she amazed him. She had applied to Ouran all one her own. Her grades were stellar. Even when she lost her mother, she had moved forward so stoically. The doctor's words echoed in his head and he clutched the locket Kotoko had given him.

_"__I'm sorry, Mr. Fujioka, it may be permanent."_


End file.
